


The Yawning Grave

by orphan_account



Series: Strange Trails [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: 13 Reasons Why au, Domestic Violence, M/M, Original Character(s), Orphan Keith (Voltron), Verbal Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-04
Updated: 2018-01-04
Packaged: 2019-02-28 07:42:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13266840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: “You lost them?” Zoe gasped, “are you sure you looked in your bag?”Keith stuttered, his eyes welling up, “I-I looked everywhere. I retraced my steps but someone must’ve taken them-“





	The Yawning Grave

**Author's Note:**

> how tf is this only 800 words it felt like 5000

It’s commonly known that Keith is an orphan.

The boy had gone through many foster parents throughout his life, however none of them stuck around for too long. His angry aura and dedication stuck out, driving every couple away before they can meet him. His obsession with his knife did not help.

Then finally, _finally_ , a ray of hope appeared. A slightly younger couple named Mickey and Zoe appeared at the orphanage one day, and if Keith were honest, he would admit he was desperate for a home at this point. It was lonely at the orphanage - especially when you see new and old kids go every day. He wanted to make a good first impression.

But the two adults didn’t seem to care about his attitude - or, to be specific, his opinion. They just wanted to foster a child, and for what? Company? No one knew. No one cared. _Keith_ didn’t care.

Live in a big home with possible-future-parents? It sounded great to him. Wonderful, even. And it was.

That is until he realised that they weren’t just strict people. They were _abusing_ him.

They don’t physically abuse him - _goodness_ no, they would never lay a finger on that scruffy boy, they don’t want their hands getting dirty - it’s verbal abuse they go for. Oftentimes, they would grab his earlobe to teach him a lesson, but that would mainly be it. After all, the words hurt more than the physical side of it.

Sometimes Keith wished they hurt him, put bruises on him; _just_ to have evidence that they’re abusing him. No one believed him when he tried to explain what they did at home. Luckily for him, the two grown ups own a shop down the road, so Keith is left home alone for the majority of the day. If needed, he would help them stock up the store, but only if he wanted a proper dinner that night.

_‘Hard workers earn more payment’_ , they said to a 13 year old Keith, who only eaten toast and margarine that day.

Now, he keeps quiet and does as he’s told to. He’s tired of trying.

⏭

“Hey sharpshooter,” Keith greeted into the phone, grinning madly to himself. He placed his keys on the wall he’s leaning on and bit his fingernail.

_“Hey samurai,”_ Lance greeted back. Keith’s grin softened at the sound of Lance’s teasing tone.

“I’m guessing you’ve already seen the hoodie i left at Red Pandas?”

_“Yep,”_ Lance snorted, _“I have it here with me. Want me to give it back tomorrow?”_

Tomorrow was Sunday. A work day. “Should be fine.”

_“Good, because if not i’ll throw it away,”_ Keith giggled at Lance’s remark.

“My dress sense isn’t _that bad_ ,”

_“That’s what they all say, mullet boy,”_  he retorted, _“Do you know any other colour apart from black and red?”_

“Blue, purple, yellow, green, I could go on,” his eyes rolled absent mindedly, “besides, black isn’t a colour. It’s a _shade_.”

The sharpshooter sighed, _“I rest my case.”_

“Do _you_ know any other style of clothing apart from a green denim jacket, garlic breath?”

When Lance spluttered into the phone, Keith covered his mouth to stop himself from laughing.

_“I know more than you!”_

“Uh huh, sure, whatever.”

” _I do! There’s wenge, beaver, dark moss, midnight blue, sand g-_ “

”Are those even colours?”

”Yes!”

Keith giggled. “ _Anyway_ \- I gotta go. Mickey and Zoe need help with stocking up the store and I need to earn my dinner tonight.”

Lance laughed. It wasn’t a joke.

_“See you later, mullet,”_ The other boy said. Keith smiled, but it was sad.

“See you, sharpshooter.”

Ending the call, Keith got off the wall and continued walking home.

⏩

“You _lost them?_ ” Zoe gasped, “are you sure you looked in your bag?”

Keith stuttered, his eyes welling up, “I-I looked _everywhere_. I retraced my steps but someone must’ve taken them-“

“Well _generally_ that’s what people do, Keith, when they find some random pair of keys lying on the street!” her face burned bright red, and if Keith looked closely, he could see steam coming out of her ears. “ _Unbelievable_!”

His eyes flickered between both adults, waiting for them to suddenly _strike_. “I’m _so sorry-“_

“We _just_ upgraded to our new car and now we cannot drive to work due to _your_ childish mistake!” Mickey growled, “We did not raise you to become this selfish bastard that you are!”

The tears fell. He wiped them with his sleeve.

“I’ll work extra hours and save up, okay– I’ll-I’ll pay for new keys i’ll help you stock up the shop daily i’ll start baby sitting on the weekend-“

“Keith, that’s enough,” Mickey sighed, rubbing his temples, “go to your room. Don’t come out for the rest of the night.”

Keith’s breath hitched. _He’s not gonna get dinner for another week._

_“Go to your room, kid,”_ Zoe hissed, before turning back to the counter. Mickey crossed his arms, standing, waiting for Keith to _do as he’s told._

That’s all Keith is good at now. Doing as he’s told.

With red eyes and wet cheeks, Keith turns round, walks upstairs, and goes into his room. As he was told.

He doesn’t keep his eyes off his knife all night.

  
_(Keith doesn’t turn up the next day, but Lance doesn’t have the heart to throw his hoodie away.)_

**Author's Note:**

> I tried to warn you when you were a child  
> I told you not to get lost in the wild  
> I sent omens and all kinds of signs  
> I taught you melodies, poems, and rhymes


End file.
